ENT31 Doppelganger
by A Rhea King
Summary: The crew decide to visit a world of humans that is caught between a 1930's world and technology exceeding the era. A mistaken identity and murderous plots may cost the life of one of them.
1. Chapter 1

Doppelgänger

By A. Rhea King

**CHAPTER 1**

The winding down of the warp drive startled Archer out of sleep. He rolled over, watching the stars outside his port window go from blurred streaks to single specks of light as _Enterprise_ slowed to a stop. Slow was good. That meant they weren't having a confrontation but there were plenty of other things just as bad that could be the cause of it. Archer reached up and pushed the companel button.

"Archer to the bridge."

"Sir, we have a problem," the lieutenant said before Archer could ask, "Our current heading will take us into uncharted space, sir."

"What?" Archer looked up at companel. "That wasn't supposed to happen for another week."

"We made a course change two days ago and that brought us to the edge of uncharted space."

"I'm on my way," Archer said, throwing the covers back. "Wake up T'Pol. Tell her to report to the bridge."

"Aye, sir."

#

Trip walked into the mess hall, stopping at the buffet to fill a tray before joining Malcolm at his table. Trip slid into the chair across from him, dove into his breakfast.

"Good morning, sir," Malcolm said, glancing at Trip, "You're running behind this morning."

"How often does the Cap'n pull Vardee away in the middle of the night?" Trip asked in a hushed voice.

"Thankfully, not very often."

"Thankfully?" Trip asked in a regular voice.

Malcolm smiled. "The twins wake up cranky when their mum isn't around. Seems I've yet to get the morning rituals down correctly."

Trip laughed. "I--"

"Lieutenant Reed and Commander Tucker, please report to the Diedra's bridge," Archer said on _Enterprise's_ COM.

Trip frowned, looking at his tray. "I was really hungry this morning."

Malcolm chuckled. He headed toward the door, jabbing, "Shouldn't wake up so late, sir," as he walked away.

Trip grabbed his mug of coffee, a link of sausage and three pancakes and then hurried to catch up with Malcolm.

"Do you know why we've stopped?" Malcolm asked.

"Naw. I just woke up, remember?" Trip smiled at Malcolm.

"Ah. I forgot."

Trip bit off a bite of sausage. "I'm glad I don't have kids to worry about."

"They certainly make mornings a lot more hectic. Of course," Malcolm's smile turned sly, "would your children have pointed ears?"

"Malcolm!" Trip laughed.

"Just wondering, sir." Malcolm stopped at the lift to wait for it. He looked back at Trip. "Just wondering."

"They would be beautiful like their mother!" Trip finished off the sausage.

The lift opened on F deck and the two headed toward loading bay three.

"So you two have discussed the matter then?" Malcolm asked.

"Are you kidding?" Trip tore off a piece of pancake and popped it in his mouth. "I wouldn't even know where to start with her. My biggest fear would be a Vulcan misunderstanding. I start talking kids, she thinks I'm proposing sort of misunderstanding"

The two men turned into the loading bay.

Malcolm smiled. "That could be detrimental if you aren't _wanting_ to propose, that is."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Malcolm."

"It meant nothing, Trip."

"What has Vardee been telling you?"

"Nothing. Honest."

Trip chuckled. "I don't believe you, Malcolm."

The two walked down the hall onto the _Diedra's_ bridge. Ensigns Mayweather and Sato were sitting in chairs at stations on opposite sides of the bridge. The night shift senior officer, Lieutenant O'Malley, was leaning against the wall. Sista was sitting in the captain's chair with Archer sitting in the chair on her right and T'Pol on her left.

"Diedra, initiate English translator," Sista ordered.

"What's up, Cap'n?" Trip asked, leaning on the railing behind Sista.

"We reached the edge of charted space last night," Archer said, "and an hour ago I received the okay to continue from Starfleet. We have a bit of a problem, however."

"Which is?" Trip bit off a piece of pancake.

Sista looked back at Trip. "The computers on Diedra and Enterprise aren't the same. The star charts are incompatible and you and Jokra get to figure out how to make them compatible."

Trip grinned. "I was hoping to have something fun and exciting to do today."

Malcolm looked at Trip. "You have an odd sense of fun and exciting, sir."

Trip leaned toward Malcolm. "Your fun and exciting involves things going 'kaboom', which I find odd and disturbing."

Archer stood up from his chair. "This is top priority Trip, so pull whomever you need to get this done. I don't like flying blind."

Trip grinned. "Not to mention how much it hurts when ya run up on those space ghosts and other anomalies?"

Archer laughed. "You are in a really good mood. Care to share?"

"I'm hiding a desire to get even with you, sir. I was really looking forward to syrup on this pancake." Trip held up his pancake.

Archer chuckled. "I'll tell you how it tastes." Archer looked up at the holographic view screen at the front of the bridge. "Right now we're waiting for--"

"You wanted me, Sista?" a voice asked.

"Brila," Archer finished.

Everyone looked at Brila. She was standing behind Malcolm, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning.

"Brila, we need you to locate any Menshara class planets within twenty light-years beyond the red line." Sista motioned to the holographic view screen.

Brila walked over to the navigation console and began working with the controls. The view screen changed to a perspective view that changed two more times as it zoomed in on the area where the red boundary of Starfleet and Vulcan star charts stopped. A new star chart appeared and quickly dots on the chart began to disappear until there were only six lit up in red.

"These are the only Menshara class planets or moons within twenty light-years, sirs," Brila replied.

"Do we have any information on them?" Sista asked, leaning forward in her chair.

Brila yawned and then went back to work. At the bottom of the screen six boxes appeared and information began scrolling through them.

"We only have reconnaissance on three. None had any advance technology."

Archer looked at Sista. "You didn't stop at them because they didn't have advance technology?"

"We never visited a world that didn't have at least warp three technology," Sista told him. "We learned it was not safe to."

T'Pol looked at Archer but said nothing.

"I see," Archer commented, sitting back down.

"However.." Sista leaned back. "Brila, wasn't there a planet with humans on it?"

"Humans?" the humans asked in a chorus.

"Yes," Sista answered. "We didn't know that's what they were at the time."

The third box from the right pulled up to the left side of the screen and the information showed up in red. The speck on the view screen that indicated the planet pulsed slowly.

"There," Sista leaned forward again, "This was it. But they are pre-warp probably even now."

"But they were humans?" Trip asked.

"I assume so, however, we only did orbital reconnaissance. Had they been Jit or Varlikon, they would have been far more technologically advanced, but without actually going to the surface and getting tricorder readings it is impossible to be certain."

"I want to see your reconnaissance," Archer demanded.

Brila began tapping on her console. The view screen brought up pictures of the planet and the humans on the Diedra's bridge could only stare. The pictures looked like they were taken straight out of a history text that covered the early to mid-nineteen hundreds. In a photograph of a large city the streets were filled with automobiles that looked like the first few models produced on Earth. Horse drawn wagons, carriages and carts and pedestrians intermingled on the cobblestone streets with the automobiles. Another image showed a farm with a man behind a team of horses and a till with half the field already turned dark, rich brown and the other half specked with cut cornstalks. Another picture showed a port with ships and the last picture showed a marina filled with a variety of boats docked and coming or leaving.

Brila looked back at Archer. "They had an odd mixture of technologies, sir, but it was only ten Earth years that we were there. It is doubtful that they have warp capabilities yet."

"How close is that planet?"

"I agree with Vardee, Captain. I doubt they would be warp capable yet," T'Pol commented.

"I don't care. If they're human, I have to see this place," Archer said.

"I second that motion," Travis said.

"And the floor passes the vote," Trip joked.

"How far, Brila?" Archer asked.

"It would take us a week and a half to reach the planet at top warp."

"Anything closer?"

"Yes, sir. One planet is four days away and a second is eight days, sir."

Archer curbed his excitement as he sat back, knowing he had a responsibility.

"Of course, Captain," Hoshi started and everyone looked at her. "Those two planets have been there for God only knows how long. I bet in another three or four weeks, they would still be there."

Malcolm leaned on the rail behind Archer. "And you haven't asked Vardee or Brila if there were any inhabitants on the other two planets or even if they are warp capable, sir."

"And it would be the first planet we came across that had humans. Pre-warp or not," Trip added.

Archer looked up at Lieutenant O'Malley, "Your thoughts Preston?"

"It would be in Starfleet's best interest to investigate another human culture."

Archer grinned. Some days he absolutely loved his crew.

"Vardee," Archer said.

"Yes, Jon?" Sista looked at Archer, putting on a serious mask.

"Are the other two planets inhabited?"

"Brila?" Sista looked at Brila.

Brila had been watching them with a smile. She looked back at her console.

"The first, the planet four days away, was at the start of an ice age when we passed it. There were no humanoid inhabitants reported. The second planet did have humanoid inhabitants, but their technology was no more advanced than simple tools and fire."

"Then perhaps.. How did you word it, Preston?" Archer asked, smiling at him.

Lieutenant O'Malley looked down at Archer, repeating with a smile, "It would be in Starfleet's best interest to investigate another human culture, sir."

"It would be. Brila, can you send those coordinates to helm? And open a channel to helm."

"Diedra, open COM to Enterprise helm. Go ahead, sir," Brila said.

"Archer to helm."

The ensign at helm replied. "Yes, sir?"

"You should have just received coordinates, ensign."

"Yes, sir."

"Start out for these coordinates at warp one. I'll inform you when we're prepared to go to warp three."

"Yes, sir."

"Archer out," Archer looked up at Trip. "Make those star charts compatible, Trip."

"Yes, sir."

"That'll be all, dismissed crew. T'Pol," Archer looked at her. "I need to discuss one of your projects. May we over breakfast?"

T'Pol nodded. Trip watched everyone but Sista leave the bridge. He reached down and tugged on a pinch of hair. Sista looked up at him.

"So, have breakfast yet?"

"I was about to ask you the same," Sista asked him.

"Let's go eat and then figure out how to break things."

Sista stood, narrowing her eyes. "You _are_ in a really good mood."

Trip only grinned in response.

#

Archer hoped his giddiness was well hidden behind his serious mask. He straightened the hand painted tie drawn snuggly around his neck and fastened a simple latinum tiepin to it as he walked down the hall to loading bay three. Archer turned into the bay, reaching down to straighten the cuffs of his dark blue light wool suit coat. The ship steward had given him a long sleeve off-white linen shirt and dark blue light wool suit pants to go with the coat. He had suggested Archer wear his black belt with a simple latinum buckle, which Archer had finally found tucked into the most out of reach corner of his closet. As he was getting ready to leave the steward had dropped of a pair of dark brown Oxfords and a brimmed felt hat that was the same off white of his shirt and had a wide black silk band fastened around it. Archer smiled, remembering the thought he'd had as he passed a mirror on his way out of his quarters. He looked like he was ready to go racketeering with Al Capone in this getup. Archer walked around the _Diedra_ and stepped on board. He turned to his right and through the second door. Trip, Hoshi, Travis, T'Pol, Malcolm and Ensigns Elizabeth Cutler and Nathan Novakovich stood beside the transporter PADD. In a matter of seconds Archer took in what had taken the ship steward three days to make.

Nathan was dressed in a light mustard colored long sleeve shirt. He wore a brown and mustard colored two-tone tie of a textured weave and adorned with a simple silver tiepin like Archer's. His shoes were a pair of dark brown laced shoes and his ensemble was complete with a black tweed newsboy cap that cast a deep shadow over his eyes under the _Diedra's_ lights. Travis was dressed almost identical to Nathan, except that his clothes were chokeberry red and black and he wore a simple striped chokeberry red and black tie that ended in an arrow.

Trip was dressed in a pale blue and white striped no-collar linen shirt that was neatly tucked into a pair of stitched cuff navy blue linen pants accented with a simple black belt and silver buckle. He also wore a pair of dark brown laced shoes and a black tweed newsboy cap that sat at a slight angle over his right eye.

Malcolm looked like he had stepped straight out of a gangster movie with his gray felt Trilby hat that had a narrow silk maroon band around it. He wore a light wool maroon shirt under a light gray suit coat. Against the shirt a simple woven flat-bottomed maroon colored silk tie complete with a fake diamond tiepin. His hands were slid into the pockets of light wool suit pants that matched the coat. The ensemble was completed with a pair of fringe tongue Oxfords.

Hoshi was wearing thin wire frame eyeglasses for look and brought immediate attraction to her dark eyes before the gaze continued to the rest of her outfit. Her hair was fixed into a neat bun at the base of her neck, giving room for the hard felt hat with a turn-back brim and trimmed with a wide black satin band to sit neatly on her black hair. Her blouse was a fine woolen crêpe forest green with a black satin border along a deep 'V' shaped neckline bound with main body fabric. Her hands were stuffed into bound 'V' shaped pockets of forest green coat with high yoke and tight sleeves with flared bound cuffs and over which an untied black silk tie with fringe end was draped. Her skirt was a forest green with a black 'V' shaped insert from which a pair of dark brown rayon stockings emerged only to disappear into a pair of two-tone leather shoes.

A shallow-crowned canvas hat with wide brim rested on Elizabeth's dark brown hair that had been given body waves to make it look fuller. White silk stockings disappeared into black patent leather low heel, pointed toe crossover strap shoes. She wore a light green and eggshell white floral print cotton dress that had sleeves cut in one with a long tubular bodice, wide hip-level belt, and a skirt with a pleated center panel. The short three-quarter white cotton gloves she was wearing gave her hands a dainty look.

The surprise of the lot was T'Pol. She was dressed in a dark red cloche hat with a ribbon a shade lighter red fashioned into an arrow shape on the left side. Under the hat she was wearing a bobbed style wig. Both the hat and the wig covered her ears and apparently someone had attacked her with makeup to bring down her eyebrows so it would be nearly impossible to mistake her for anything but human. She was wearing a pair of suntan colored rayon stockings and black glacé kid shoes with low louis heels. The waistline of her dark red, short sleeved dress fell on her natural hips and a loose hem stopped the dress just above mid-calf. It had a rounded-square neckline with crossover strap detail on the front and back. The most surprising part of her attire was the simple string of pearls adorning her neck. Archer suspected it was a loan from some crewman, but they shone brilliantly against T'Pol's dark skin.

"You'll go down four at a time," Sista informed him.

Archer looked around at her. She stood behind the transporter controls, resting Kasbra on her left hip with her arm wrapped around the baby. Kasbra was cooing and giggling and occasionally waved her arms toward Malcolm.

"Are you sure you can't calibrate the shielding to--" Archer started as he turned to look at Trip.

Trip rolled his eyes. "NO!" Trip looked at Archer. "How they can have such a strange mixture of technology down there is far beyond me, but for the hundredth time, Cap'n, I cannot recalibrate anything on a shuttle pod to deflect radar. I can make it look smaller, I can make it look bigger and I can even throw the radar off twenty kilometers, but I cannot make it disappear comin' from outer space. We'll be lucky if they don't detect Enterprise or us transporting to the surface."

"I hate transporters," Archer growled. He turned to his away team. "For the most part it looks like we'll step right into the twenties or thirties, but they do have some advanced technology. Don't act surprised if you see something that looks out of the ordinary. Remember, this isn't Earth. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the seven replied.

"I can't believe you found a city that they speak English in," Elizabeth commented.

"A really outdated English," Archer commented as he stepped onto the transporter pad.

T'Pol, Travis and Trip stepped on with him.

"Ready?" Sista asked the four from behind the transporter controls.

"No," Archer answered.

Sista smiled. "Energizing. Have fun kids."

Archer closed his eyes until he felt sun on his face. He looked up at a brilliant blue sky speckled with fluffy white clouds. Archer smiled, feeling a light breeze play with the hair at the back of his neck. A six-foot wood fence enclosed the bare lot they had transported into. Beyond the lot he could see the peaks of single level houses. Archer heard four more transport and turned. Hoshi, Malcolm, Elizabeth and Nathan stood behind him.

"The parade is this way, Captain," Hoshi said, motioning in a direction.

"First names, Hoshi. Let's not get any more attention than we want here," Archer reminded her.

"Yes, si..Jon."

Archer laughed, following her out of the lot onto a sidewalk. The street could have easily been mistaken for a street from most any small 1920 or 1930's American town. Most of the lawns were neat and tidy with flowers of a wide variety decorating them. Cars were parked on the street, in driveways or in the shade of carports or garages. There were a couple people outside, but the street was mostly deserted.

"This way," Hoshi said, motioning.

"I can't believe these cars," Trip said, looking at one as they passed it.

"I can't believe how much like home this looks like," Elizabeth smiled when Archer looked back at her. "I grew up in a small town."

Archer nodded, looking across the street. An elderly woman was sitting on her front porch. She waved to them with a smile. Archer returned the greeting. The eight turned at the corner.

"Did you hear what this parade is for?" Archer asked.

"A holiday," Hoshi looked up at him. "I couldn't figure out what the holiday was for though."

"And you got all that from a radio broadcast?" Nathan asked.

"I've been listening to radio stations for the last three days," Hoshi replied, smiling, "The music sounds a lot like music back home, but in languages I could spend the next month interpreting! Talk about a gold mine."

"There!" Elizabeth grinned.

They could see the crowd of people at the end of the street and a float was passing in front of them. The eight stopped at the back of the crowd, cheering and laughing with the crowd.

#

Officer Samuel watched his child's middle school float pass before he turned and continued walking behind the crowd of people with his partner.

"So you coming over for cards tomorrow night?" Officer Zimmerman asked.

"Maybe," Samuel answered. "Saren's trying to 'suade me in ta goin' with her to the folks this weekend."

"Ya ain't, are you?"

"I dunno," Samuel looked down the crowd, spotting a group of people walking up to the back of the crowd. He slowed his walk to a stop. His partner stopped, looking back at him.

"What's wrong, Sam?"

"Give me the vid pad, Jeo?"

Zimmerman searched his pockets and pulled out a device. It was silver colored, the length of a pen and the width of half a fist, coming to a dull point at both ends. There was a slight bulge on the side that was colored black and a green LED pulsated on the bulge. Zimmerman handed the device to Samuel. Samuel pulled the bulge out to reveal a clear screen with light green grid lines across it. He gave the silver bulge a slight squeeze and it turned on. Information flashed across the screen and a computer-enhanced graphic of a female face appeared.

"State authentication," the face audibly requested.

"Samuel, Dorian. Al pike five one niner. Authenticate."

"Authentication accepted. Precede Officer Samuel," the face commanded. It zoomed back so the whole body could be seen and nine cubes slowly orbited the female.

"Transmitting command. Pull all mug shots for Haeri Two Scars, a.k.a. Haeri Swank, a.k.a. Will DeFranco, a.k.a. Tony Striden," Samuel said.

The graphic reached up and pulled a cube to it, quickly processing the command given.

Zimmerman looked at him and then looked around. His eyes immediately found Archer standing in the crowd. He moved closer to Samuel's side, waiting for the image to come up. Archer's picture showed up on the screen and the charges list began to scroll through dozens of offenses. The two officers looked at one another.

"Haeri Two Scars is dead, Sam," Zimmerman argued against what Samuel was suggesting. "Him getting' bumped is the buzz on all the channels today. Said he died in an explosion east side. They found his corpse for Setir's sake!"

"Okay." Samuel looked at Archer. "You wanna go over there and see if it's his good twin and hope he doesn't start shooting into a crowd of people like he did at the Rushe Freedom Day parade to keep from being walked and booked?"

Zimmerman frowned. "We need backup for this one. He's bound to have some of his men."

Samuel looked at the video pad. "Samuel to HQ."

A brunette woman appeared. She had her hair swept into a bun and was gnawing a piece of gum as she filed her nails. "Yeah Sam! How's Mikhail's float look?"

"It looks swell, Steph. Steph, we need backup down on Wikens and Yabaro. We've spotted Haeri Two Scars. Zimmerman will meet 'em a block west of here and I'll keep an eye on Two Scars."

"_The_ Haeri Two Scars?" she said, her gum almost falling out of her mouth when her jaw slacked. "The one we got word was killed last night when that warehouse lit up on the east side?"

"That's the one. And he don't look very dead Steph."

"Awright," Steph reached over and pulled a slim microphone around. "All units in the area of Wikens and Yabaro report to the corner of Yabaro and Everyt. Officers require backup on a capture and detain," Steph looked back at the screen. "You boys be careful, awright? Don't need ta be attend two more funerals this week. Talk about a downer!"

"We will be, Steph. Thanks."

Steph winked and disappeared from the screen.

Samuel looked at Zimmerman. "Get down there and meet them."

Zimmerman turned and hurried back through the crowd to meet the units coming for backup. Samuel slowly made his way through the crowd, keeping his eye on Archer.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Hoshi grabbed Malcolm's arm. "Look!" she laughed.

Malcolm nodded, watching a strange bird float pass by.

"I've heard silk is horrible for hemming," someone said, stepping up next to Hoshi.

Hoshi turned, staring at the man beside her. He was wearing a hat that shaded his eyes, a baggy suit, sunglasses with large dark colored lenses and his had rusty colored beard was in need of a trim.

"Pardon?" Hoshi asked him.

He looked at her. "I've heard silk is horrible for hemming."

Hoshi smiled. "I wouldn't know. I don't sew." Hoshi turned back around when Elizabeth grabbed her arm.

"Look at that one!" Elizabeth laughed.

The man started to speak when a hand touched his arm. He turned, staring at the woman that had touched his arm. She was staring at Hoshi, not him.

"Wh--" the man started.

The woman roughly pulled him through the crowd to a doorway. She looked back at Hoshi.

"She looks like you!" the man said.

"I know."

"Who is she?" he asked.

"I don't know." The woman looked at the man. "Do you have it?"

The man handed her a thin envelope and she exchanged it with a thick one.

"You'll be contacted," she told the man.

He nodded and disappeared into the crowd. The woman turned, watching Hoshi. She looked around, hearing someone blow a whistle. She saw policemen pushing through the crowd in Hoshi's direction. The woman stepped back in the crowd, keeping an eye on Hoshi.

#

"Hey, loo--" Archer was cut off by a hand roughing turning him around.

"Haeri Two Scars, you are under arrest!" Samuel said, shoving a gun into Archer's face.

Archer swallowed, staring at the gun barrel. "What?"

His crewmen turned, staring at the policeman. Four gunshots rang out and people in the crowd started screaming and running as more shots followed. Archer pulled back, feeling someone grab his arm. A woman was pushed between Archer and the policeman's gun by the panicking crowd and Archer looked back to find Nathan had a hold of his arm.

"Come on," Nathan said, pulling back on Archer's arm.

The two turned and ran, following the other six crewmen through the crowd. Archer looked back when he heard another gunshot. Policemen were chasing them and more were joining them as the group ran.

"Split up!" Archer yelled to his crewmen.

"If we--" T'Pol started.

"They're after only me. Rendezvous at the transporter site," Archer yelled to the others. "Nathan's with me. Hoshi, Cutler, go a separate direction. Trip and Travis head straight and Malcolm and T'Pol go left at the next street. GO!"

Archer turned to the right and Nathan into an alley. Now that they were free from the crowd the two men were able to pick up speed and lose policemen chasing them. The two turned and found themselves on a waterfront dock. Archer turned, running down the dock. He ran around a corner as a police car slid to a stop. Samuel leapt out behind the door, aiming a gun at the two. Zimmerman leapt out on the other side, aiming his gun at Archer and Nathan.

"FREEZE!" the two policemen yelled in unison.

Archer and Nathan froze, both slowly raising their hands.

"Don't either one of you boys move!" Samuel ordered Archer and Nathan

Gunfire suddenly began raining from all directions. Archer and Nathan dove behind a stack of crates, sinking to the ground.

"Sir, I've changed my mind. I don't wanna take Lieutenant O'Malley's place on this mission!" Nathan yelled at Archer.

Archer said nothing, concentrating instead on keeping from getting shot.

The shooting stopped. Archer held his breath, hearing quiet talking and a pair of footsteps headed in their direction. A man stepped around the crates and Archer and Nathan instinctively held up their hands when they saw the gun he was carrying.

"Boss," the man said.

Nathan and Archer stared at the man.

"Boss, come on. We gotta scram before the fuzz get here." He held his hand out to Archer to help him up.

Archer slowly reached out and took the man's hand.

"Boss?" Archer asked.

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Who-- Who's Boss?

"You is, Boss. You get cold cocked or something, Boss?" the man asked. He peered into Archer's face with deep concern.

"Yes," Archer answered, figuring it was better to lie right now, "Or something."

"Boss," someone called.

Archer looked toward the voice. Six men dressed in three piece suits like this man stood around the police car and two dead policemen. Five of them held Tommy guns and one was carrying a small handgun.

"What you want we should do with the fuzz here, Boss? Dump 'em in the river or bury 'em in the dump? The other fuzz are bound ta start lookin' for 'em," one of the five men asked, looking at Archer.

Archer stared at the men.

"Boss?"

"He got cold cocked, fellas," the first guy said, patting Archer's shoulder, "I think the Boss is a little balled up right now."

The second guy nodded. He lit a cigar before saying anything else. "We'll clean it up Boss. Cevin, get Boss back and let Jisyca patch 'im up. He's had a wild day."

Archer looked back at Nathan, who looked just as lost and confused as he felt. Archer looked at the young man that took his arm and started walking him toward a car. He assumed the young man was Cevin.

"What's with these old rags, Boss?" Cevin asked.

Archer looked down at his clothes. They looked like clothes he'd seen other people wearing today. Archer looked at Cevin, guessing that these people were expecting him to be wearing an expensive suit like they were wearing.

"A disguise, Cevin," the second man said. "Boss was running from the fuzz. Couldn't you see that?"

"Of course! Good thinkin' Boss," Cevin smiled when Archer looked at him. "We were told you were dead, Boss. I think Taunyo is planning on moving in on our gigs, Boss."

"Stop jawin' his ear off Cevin. You're the driver, not a shrink," one of the men ordered Cevin.

"Nathan," Archer stopped, looking back.

Nathan was staring at the dead policemen.

"Yeah. Who is this kid? He looks like a real book-worm," Cevin said.

Nathan looked up at Archer and then Cevin.

"He is," Archer answered, not knowing what else to say, "He's a friend of mine."

"Any friend of the Boss's is a friend of mine," Cevin held his hand out to Nathan.

Nathan took it, letting Cevin shake it.

"CEVIN!" the other five yelled.

"Come on Boss. We need to get outta here before the fuzz shows up here," Cevin opened the back door of the car for Archer. "Boy, am I glad we found you before them fuzz got you. Heard it cost almost a full mill' to break out Tomy Four Toes and his gang when sour after that. Sure made it easy for us to get his territory though."

Archer swung his head around to look at Cevin. The pieces of what was happening suddenly fell together at once. He, or the person they presumed him to be, was the boss of what was sounding like a mob. The fuzz, or rather the police, was their enemy. Archer's stomach tied into a sudden knot. This was a nightmare!

"Come on, Boss," Cevin said.

Nathan nudged Archer's back. Archer got in the car and Nathan sat down in the seat next to him. Cevin shut the door and walked around, getting in. With a slight jolt, Cevin drove away from the murder scene. Archer slowly looked back at the scene and then out the windshield. He suddenly felt like he was on a world far more alien than any world he'd visited since leaving Earth, even if these aliens were human.

#

"HAERI!"

Archer didn't look around at the voice until he was enveloped in two arms. A woman pushed him back against the car, barely letting him breath as she mauled him with kisses. Archer grabbed her arms and pushed her back, finally able to look at her. She wore a loose flowered dress made of lightweight material with a dome shaped hat and ringlets pasted to the side of her face.

"They said you were dead, baby!" she hugged him again.

"I'm not." Archer looked down at Nathan. He was sitting in the car still, staring at the house in front of him.

Archer looked at the house. It was really a mansion. It had to be sitting on at least two acres and there were lights on in nearly every room. Dozens of cars were parked in front, but he only saw a handful of men outside, all carrying automatic weapons.

"Oh Haeri!" she laughed, batting his shoulder. "You shoulda called as soon as you were in the clear! The boys really thought you'd bought it in that explosion, baby."

"DADDY!"

Archer's stomach dropped into his shoes. Daddy?

Archer looked at the front door, watching two little boys running toward him. One looked nine and the other looked eight. They ran up to Archer and threw their arms around him.

"Uhhhh," Archer looked down at the boys. "Hi..boys."

"Boys? You never call them that." She stepped back, putting her hands on her hips.

"He got cold cocked pretty good, Mrs. Swank. Probably just needs some of your doctorin'," Cevin explained.

Archer looked at Cevin, catching him winking at the woman. Archer looked at her.

"You're Jisyca?"

"Oh my," Jisyca reached up, laying her hand on his head. "You don't remember me? Maybe we should have a doctor look at you, baby."

"No. I..I'm sure I'll remember everything. Sooner or later."

"It was the explosion. He hit his head fairly hard, ma'am," Nathan put in.

"Oh! And who is this?" Jisyca held out her hand to Nathan.

"A friend. Nathan," Archer said.

Nathan shook her hand. She smiled uneasily as he did and quickly pulled her hand away.

"Must be from out of town. I've never met him before."

"I am," Nathan said, "From..out of town..that is."

"He is," Archer replied.

"Well, let's go inside. Dinner is waiting and then we'll look at that head of yours," Jisyca sidled up to Archer. "In private."

Archer smiled uneasily. "In..private."

Jisyca slid her arm around his and led him toward the house. Archer looked down as one of the boys took his hand. Archer looked back at Nathan. Nathan was following behind Archer, looking at everything they passed.

'I'm caught in the mafia!' Archer cried to himself as he looked back at the front door he was being led to. 'What the hell kind of world is this?'

#

Travis and Trip disobeyed Archer. They stuck with Malcolm and T'Pol. They heard policemen still behind them as they pushed through the crowd, but they were falling behind.

"Here," T'Pol said and they raced into an alley.

The four slowed to a stop, panting.

"FREEZE!" someone yelled.

The four looked back at the policeman at the end of the alley. As one the four spun and ran away from him with T'Pol in the lead. They ran into another alley and stopped short, hearing feet running toward them from somewhere ahead of them.

"Lieutenant Reed, Ensign Mayweather, under there," T'Pol said, pointing to a set of stairs with boxes and trash under it.

"I'm not--" Travis started to argue.

Malcolm grabbed Travis' arm and pulled him with him under the stairs. Trip looked up and down the alley for a place to hide, starting to panic. He knew the policemen would be there any minute and there was nowhere left to hide. Trip let out a soft grunt when he was suddenly slammed into the boxes under the stairs with T'Pol's lips and body pressed against his. Trip wrapped his arms around her, keeping their lips pressed together.

The policeman that had ordered them to stop raced past, meeting with four more policemen as they ran around the corner at the opposite end of the alley.

"Did you see them?" one of the policemen asked.

"No. They didn't come this way."

"Back track. Check everywhere."

The policemen broke into two groups and one group started back in the _Enterprise_ crew's direction. Under the stairs Travis and Malcolm pressed into the shadows, both men's hearts beating in their throats. Two policemen stopped behind T'Pol, staring her back. One cleared his throat. Neither T'Pol nor Trip responded to him.

"Uh-hum!" the policeman said.

The two still didn't acknowledge him.

The policeman reached out to tap T'Pol's shoulder and the second stopped him.

"These two are so busy cashing, they wouldn't have noticed a bomb detonating. Come on," the second said and they continued down the alley.

Malcolm watched the two leave. He kept quiet until he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore and then let out his held breath. Travis did the same thing.

"To close," Travis whispered.

"They're gone," Malcolm said to Trip and T'Pol.

Neither responded to him.

"They're gone!" Travis said and didn't get any more of a response than the policemen or Malcolm had.

Travis and Malcolm looked at each other. Malcolm squeezed out from under the stairs and stood up. He tapped Trip's shoulder. Trip brushed Malcolm's hand away, quick to wrap his arm back around T'Pol.

Malcolm leaned close to the two of them. "We really need our science officer and chief engineer back now," Malcolm smiled when the two slowly looked at him. "Perhaps you two could continue this later? I'm sure it will be just as satisfying then."

Trip made a jeering face at Malcolm. T'Pol stepped back, turning so neither Malcolm or Travis saw her faint smile of pleasure before it was erased by her serious nature.

"We need to find the location we transported to so we can return to Enterprise," T'Pol said.

"Lead the way, Sub-Commander," Malcolm said. He paused, waiting for her and Trip to start walking ahead and then added, "Just make sure it's to the coordinates and not some secluded corner."

Trip and T'Pol both stopped short and looked back at Malcolm. He and Travis both smiled huge Cheshire grins. T'Pol looked at Trip. He shrugged and they continued walking.

#

Elizabeth and Hoshi could hear the policemen getting closer, their yells echoing down the alley the two were racing down. Hoshi looked back, checking on their distance.

"Oh no," Elizabeth said.

Hoshi looked around. A car had stopped at the end of the alley.

Inside the driver shoved open the back door. "HURRY UP!" the driver yelled.

Hoshi glanced back at the policemen and then looked back at the stranger in the car ahead. She couldn't make out the person's face, but she could tell it was a woman.

"GET IN!" the person yelled again as they got closer.

Hoshi and Elizabeth dove into the car. The force of the car lunging forward threw them into a heap against the back of the seat. Gunshots rang out, several bullets breaking the back window. Elizabeth and Hoshi hit the floorboard together, staying crouched down. The driver turned a sharp right and the back door slammed shut and then the car was speeding away from the scene. Hoshi and Elizabeth looked at each other, neither sure what to do next. Hoshi very slowly sat up, looking behind them. There was no sign of policemen, or the parade, or the other crewmen.

The driver swung the car left and into a garage. She jumped out and Hoshi saw her run to the door and leap up, grabbing a rope hanging down. She pulled the door shut and stood beside it. The only light came through the windows on the garage door and two high windows on the right side. Two minutes later three police cars sped by. The woman turned, facing the car, but her face was hidden in the shadows.

"What's happening?" Elizabeth asked, slowly sitting up.

The woman disappeared from the door and Hoshi and Elizabeth heard her footsteps coming toward the car. The passenger door was thrown up and the woman leaned in. Hoshi shrank back with a gasp, staring at her mirror image.

"Hoshi?" Elizabeth whispered.

"No. Orela. You must be Hoshi?" Orela asked Hoshi.

Hoshi slowly nodded.

"You almost got bumped off, but I find it even more interesting that you two were leached to a dead man. Word is Haeri Two Scars was blown up last night. Wanna give me the low down on how he's a walking, breathing corpse?"

"Ha-Haeri?" Hoshi swallowed, shaking her head. "His names Jonathan Archer. He's my..uh.."

"He's our boss. Of sorts," Elizabeth filled in.

"So you two are mols."

"What's a mol?" Hoshi asked.

"A gangster dame. Like the two of you."

"Gang--NO!" Hoshi cried out, "We aren't mols and we don't have anything to do with gangs."

Orela smiled. "Well, seems we have some confusion here. You're my twin, but your not. I'm an only child. Your boss who you claim isn't Haeri Two Scars, looks identical to Haeri Two scars and you claim he's not a mafia boss but he's your boss. You ladies have yourselves more confused than I am at this moment."

Hoshi slowly looked at Elizabeth.

"She has that right," Elizabeth commented.

#

Nathan spun when someone opened the bedroom door. Archer slipped in, quietly shutting the door behind him. In his left fist he was crushing what appeared to be a rolled up newspaper. Nathan turned off the television he'd been watching.

"Please tell me you have your communicator, Nathan," Archer said.

Nathan felt himself go pale. "You don't have yours, sir?"

Archer closed his eyes. "No. I lost it somewhere."

"Mine was broken when we dove behind those crates."

Archer opened his eyes. He walked toward Nathan with his hand held out. Nathan fished the communicator out of his pocket and handed it to Archer. Archer stared at the broken communicator.

"I don't suppose you know how to fix these, do you? I can fix tricorders in a heartbeat, but not communicators," Archer said.

"I'll try. Sir..what if we can't.."

Archer looked at Nathan.

"I don't know, Nathan," Archer walked to a chair and sank into it. "I have no idea what to do if we can't reach anyone. What a mess I got us into, Nathan."

"It wasn't your fault, sir."

Archer offered a smile of thanks, but it didn't ease his guilt.

"We could go to the rendezvous spot, sir," Nathan suggested, "I'm sure T'Pol'll be monitoring it."

"I already tried to convince that Jisyca and a couple of the men here to take us back to the parade route, but they all have excuses why they can't. So that's not going to work." Archer frowned. "Do you have any idea how to get back to that dock? Maybe we could find our way back from there. Everything happened in a blur to me."

Nathan opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. "No, sir. I pretty much felt the same way. Everything happened fast."

Archer let his head fall back against the chair. "And it was such a great idea to start with."

Nathan smiled. "It was a great idea. How we were to know you were a mob boss?"

Archer shot Nathan a frown followed by a heavy sigh. "Nathan, this house..they have guns in every single room," Archer told him, "It's like being in a military camp!"

"Do you know who they are? Or what they want? Why do they keep calling you Boss, sir?"

"From what I gathered I'm a mafia boss. I mean..not me personally, but the person they think I am," Archer held up the newspaper he was holding for Nathan to see. "This guy look familiar?"

Nathan took the newspaper, staring at Archer's picture and the picture of his wife Jisyca.

"Oh shit," Nathan sank into a chair.

"My thoughts exactly, Ensign. I, I mean he, was killed last night in an explosion. Now they think he's alive."

"It gets worse, Captain," Nathan turned and switched on the television. He pointed at it. "Look like someone we know?"

Archer stood, walking toward the television. Malcolm's twin was standing at a podium, speaking to a large crowd. The camera changed angles to show the growing excitement of the crowd as Malcolm's twin continued delivering his speech.

"Turn it up," Archer ordered.

Nathan turned it up.

"..and so Ristar forces will continue to launch attacks against Tribual until they surrender. We will vanquish the Ristar allies and bring our new order to this world!" the Malcolm look-alike vowed, "and when we do, President Thompson will be unseated, his cabinet destroyed, and he and his family killed! THIS I PROMISE!" The crowd cheered and chanting 'General Vignand' even as he left the podium.

"What are the chances that the first planet we come across that has humans has twins of me and Malcolm?" Archer asked.

"And who's to say you two are the only ones?" Nathan asked. "There could be twins of everyone on Enterprise, sir."

"On Enterprise?" someone asked.

Both men turned to face the speaker. Jisyca was standing behind them, her narrowed eyes watching the two men suspiciously.

"How long have you been standing there?" Archer asked, forcing a smile.

"Long enough that I want to know what twins you're talking about and where is this Enterprise?"

"We were philosophizing," Archer scrambled for a lie, "Nathan was explaining a fascinating theory."

"Chaos theory," Nathan offered, "The basic concept of chaos theory is that anything can happen from a single course of events or decision and if repeated, then the action created may cause different results. I believe that if that's true, were we to find the twin of ourselves that exist on the planet, we could then perhaps manipulate that person so we could literally be two places at once and everyone would be on enterprise, or rather, gaining capital."

Archer glanced at Nathan. He hoped Nathan had a clue what he was talking about even if it was a lie.

"Not another one," Jisyca moaned, looking up.

"Another one?" Archer asked.

Jisyca walked up to him, laying her hands on his chest. "Baby, you have control of over three quarters of the bootleg operations this side of Tribual. Everyone knows you're racketeering, but so many people are paying to you that no one will ever say anything. You own all the backroom casinos across New Delta. Please, please, don't go looking at another hair-brained idea for making more scratch. The last time you spent a couple million on some bushwa idea of time traveling before you found out the man wasn't a scientist and you had to bump him off. While it was a very educational experience for the boys, you don't need another hair-brained idea, baby. We're doing just fine. Please. Send him away and let's get back to business, okay?"

Archer stared at the woman in front of him. She was as cold and manipulative as he imagined a mafia boss should be, not a mafia boss's wife. Could that be a subject overlooked by all the history texts on Earth that he was getting a first hand experience in right now?

Archer forced a smile. "We were just philosophizing, sweetheart," Archer said. "Nathan's a friend. He's staying for a while."

"You never told me about him."

"I'm tell you now."

Jisyca sighed, throwing her hands up in the air. She turned, starting for the door. "Fine. But you are not spending any more then five hundred on this philosophy of his."

"Yes, sweetheart. Five hundred," Archer nodded.

"Thousand, baby." Jisyca stopped, looking at Archer. "No more than five hundred thousand. Not million."

Archer hid his shock. "Yes, sweetheart."

"Come to bed soon. I'm tired," Jisyca turned and swished out of the room.

"That's one cold.." Nathan stopped.

Archer nodded. "Yes she is. I wonder if the couch is comfortable."

Nathan smiled. "There's a hundred bedrooms in this house. Maybe find a free one?"

"I'm thinking the same thing," Archer walked to the door. He stopped, looking back at Nathan. "Keep your door locked," Archer whispered, "I don't trust her."

Nathan nodded.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Hoshi and Elizabeth followed Orela through the back door of a house into a cozy kitchen.

"Orela? Is that you?" a voice asked.

"My roommate," Orela explained to the two.

A blonde woman whisked into the kitchen in a pink robe with purple flowers. She stopped at the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of milk. She retrieved a glass, poured herself a glass and turned. Hoshi and Elizabeth stared at her.

"She's.." Elizabeth stared at the woman.

"What?" Orela asked the two.

"Hey, she looks like you Orela!" the woman walked up to Hoshi and with a smile peered into Hoshi's face.

"I know. I found them at the parade today."

"You look like T'Pol," Elizabeth said, "If she were hu--"

"Elizabeth!" Hoshi jabbed Elizabeth in the side with her elbow to shut Elizabeth up.

The woman laughed. "Jacque." She held out a hand to Hoshi. "Jacque Grace."

Hoshi shook her hand. Elizabeth shook the hand when it was offered to her.

"Who's T'Pol?"

"A friend," Hoshi said.

Jacque fluffed her hair with her hand. "She as gorgeous as me?" She batted her eyelashes.

"Commander Grace, I'm sure she's as gorgeous as you if she looks like you," Orela chided as she walked to the refrigerator and started pulling things out to make supper.

"This is insane," Hoshi said.

"Are you alright, dear?" Jacque asked Hoshi.

Hoshi nodded. "No."

Jacque sat her glass down on the counter, taking Hoshi's arm. "Here. Sit down. You look about ready to pass out."

"It's been a really, _really_..long day."

"So, your boss's name is Jonathan Archer," Orela said. She looked over her shoulder at Jacque when Jacque turned to pick up her glass. "This boss of theirs looks just like Haeri Two Scars, Jack."

Jacque hopped up on the counter and sat down with her legs dangling over the edge. She crossed one leg over the others and wrapped her finger around the edge of the counter. She tilted her head to the side a little before asking, "You two petite things were hanging with Two Scars? What he have on you two little bunnies?"

"His name is Jonathan Archer. He's our Ca..boss," Hoshi said more forcefully.

Jacque crossed her legs, leaning back on one arm. "Sure. Okay. He's not your boss but he is your boss. Why are you two messed up with the mafia? You two look smarter than that."

"We _aren't_ in the mafia," Elizabeth let out a long sigh, falling into a chair beside Hoshi. "We aren't in the mafia. The guy Orela saw is not this Haeri Two Scars. Orela looks like Hoshi's twin and you look like a friend of ours. Okay. There. That's it."

"You're hiding something." Jacque sat up and hopped off the counter. "Call me when supper's ready, Orela."

"Yeah, okay," Orela answered.

Hoshi had her eyes closed when Elizabeth looked at her. Elizabeth put her face in her hands, closing her eyes. This fun trip had turned into a horrible nightmare fast.

#

"I'm..he's..an Admiral?" Malcolm stared at his twin's face on the view screen.

The man on the screen delivering a speech, telling his people that they would crush the Tribunal enemy and that his government was the most powerful on Xaritex. It was very reminiscent of Adolf Hitler speeches during Earth's World War II.

"He doesn't sound British," Travis said.

"They don't have British here," Malcolm shot.

Trip glanced at Malcolm without comment.

"There has to be a way to find them," Malcolm said, turning to the situation room console.

Trip looked at Malcolm. "How?"

Malcolm frowned. "I wish I knew."

Trip looked at T'Pol. "Please, _please_ tell me you have an idea, T'Pol."

"I have not devised a plan yet on how to locate our captain and missing crewmen."

Trip let out a long sigh. He put his face in his hands, feeling tired. He wanted something to go right.

"I'm picking up a transmission," the ensign at Hoshi's station said, "It's audio only."

"Put it through," Trip sat up. "This is Trip."

"TRIP!" Hoshi cried out.

Trip smiled. "Hey. Where are you?"

"I have no idea."

"Is anyone else with you?"

"Ensign Cutler, sir," Elizabeth said over the communicator.

"We don't know where we're at," Hoshi said, "But we ran into a couple twins down here."

"Seems to be an epidemic, Ensign. Malcolm and the Cap'n have twins down there too," Trip glanced at the view monitor. "What's your situation?"

"Did you know that the captain's twin is a mob boss?"

"Yeah. We found that out from a couple television broadcasts. And Malcolm's is a Hitler type General."

"Oh God. Sir, get us _out_ of here. Please! Hurry!" Hoshi begged.

"T'Pol's trying to lock onto your signal as we speak, ladies. Sit tight."

"And there's more," Elizabeth said.

"What?" Trip asked.

"It's not important," Hoshi said.

"Yes it is!" Elizabeth argued, "T'Pol has a human twin down here."

Everyone looked at T'Pol.

"Interesting," T'Pol commented without stopping her work.

"Look, I--" Hoshi's sentence cut off.

"Hoshi?" Trip said.

"We've lost the signal," T'Pol told Trip, "I was only able to narrow the triangulation down to twenty-two kilometers."

"Hail them," Trip ordered the ensign at the communications console.

"Commander, that would be ill advised," T'Pol said.

Trip looked at her. "Why? We need to get them back."

"There may be a reason they were cut off. Hailing them may give their position away if they are hiding."

"Belay that, Ensign," Trip said. Trip sank back into a chair to wait.

#

Hoshi and Elizabeth stared at Orela and Jacque. Jacque held the communicator closed in one hand and a handgun in her other hand aimed at Elizabeth. Orela's handgun was aimed at Hoshi.

"Everyone has secrets," Jacque stated with a cold smile, "And yours may just have cost you to ladies your lives."

Hoshi and Elizabeth said nothing.

"Inside," Jacque motioned toward the house.

Hoshi and Elizabeth walked back toward the house, both women pressing down their fear.

#

Archer watched the door open in the mirror's reflection and Jisyca swish into the room. She had her hands held behind her back and was watching him watch her in the mirror. Archer reached for the tie hanging on the side of the floor mirror, slowly pulled it around his neck and trying to tie it.

"You didn't come to bed last night," Jisyca said. She looked back at the unmade bed behind her and then back at Archer.

Archer didn't reply, but he didn't take his eyes off of her. All his instincts were screaming at him to get as far from her as fast as he could, but his logic kept him from acting on instinct.

"The boys are waiting downstairs. So obedient those boys of yours."

"They're good kids," Archer said, hoping it sounded like a good lie.

"I meant the boys of Haeri Two Scars, honey. Not _my_ sons."

Archer tensed when he saw her bringing her hands around in front of her and relaxed a little when he saw they were empty. He watched her move around in front of him.

"You never could tie a tie correctly." Jisyca smiled, but it was cold and fake.

Archer watched her face and eyes. "Maybe I should learn," Archer commented. It felt stupid to make that comment, but Archer was tired, nervous and anxious and right now the comment appeared true because he couldn't get the length of fabric to cooperate.

Jisyca looked up into his eyes. "You need me, you know that, honey? To fix your ties, fix your books, make sure your hits go through..you need me." Jisyca reached up and her fingers skillfully made the loop and neat knot of the tie.

"Maybe so."

Jisyca tightened the tie a bit too tight around Archer's throat and gripped the knot just under his Adam's apple.

"That arms shipment coming in is a big deal, Haeri. Lots of scratch is riding on it. Let me handle it. The seller and buyer may not be comfortable with how you're behaving right now."

Archer grabbed her hand, prying it off the tie but keeping a hold of her wrist so she couldn't slip away.

"You just don't strike me as the kind of person Har..I..want to let handle a deal so big. Is there something you're not telling me, Jisyca?"

"Jisyca is it?" she asked, bowing her head so she was looking up at him through her bangs.

"Is there?" Archer asked.

"I don't know. Is there?"

"Did you order Har--me dead, Jisyca?"

"Why would I do that, baby? I love you."

Archer resisted raising his voice and demanding the truth. He didn't feel safe in this house as it was and the last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of the gun-toting gangsters downstairs.

"I have to go have breakfast and get to work," Archer lied. He had no idea where the dining room was or even if he had work he was expected to get to.

"Go. Have breakfast. Talk shop with the boys and get business taken care of. This afternoon maybe we could go to a picture show, huh? Just you and me. Like in the old days, ya know?"

Archer stepped back from Jisyca, letting her wrist go. Someone knocked on the bedroom door and both looked at it. Nathan timidly stepped into the room.

"Ca..sir..uhm..the..uh.._boys_ are waiting downstairs. They say they'll have to kill another pig if we don't come down now because Cevin's eating all the bacon."

Archer looked at Jisyca as he turned away from her to follow Nathan. Archer waited until they were away from the door to speak to Nathan.

"Please tell me you have that communicator working," Archer whispered.

"No. I'm still working on it, Captain. I only have outdated tools to work with, sir. I'm doing the best I can as fast as I can. Maybe you can get away today and get back to the landing location."

Archer looked at Nathan. "I don't even _know_ where the landing location is, Nathan."

"I'll keep working on it. What was going on in there?"

"I think I was being threatened. Or rather, Haeri was. You have _got_ to fix that communicator, Nathan. I want out of this house and to put a solar system between that woman and me. I have _never_ in my life met a woman so cold and detached and ruthless as that thing is."

"_Thing_, sir?" Nathan smiled. "You must really hate her to call her a _thing_."

Archer smiled. "She doesn't have a heart or a soul, Nathan. She's a thing."

Nathan smiled. "Glad to see you haven't lost that keen sense of humor, sir."

"Makes two of us." Archer stopped in the hall, looking both directions. "Where is the dining room anyway?"

"This way." Nathan motioned down the hall to the stairs. "Follow me, sir."

Archer fell in behind him, glancing back down the hall. Jisyca was leaning on the doorframe of the bedroom, watching him and smoking a cigarette. The very sight of her made his anger twinge, so he was glad that the turn onto the stairs blocked her from sight.

#

Trip pulled a picture out of his pocket and started stopping people to ask them if they had seen the people circled in it.

Across the street two policemen watched him, casually finishing their lunch.

"What ya think he's doin'?"

"Dunno," the other answered.

Malcolm came running around the block corner and up to Trip. He stopped by Trip, pointing as he spoke. Trip turned and the two ran back around the corner.

"Guess we'd better check it out."

The two policemen threw their sandwich wrappers in a trashcan and followed the two. The policemen walked around the corner, seeing Trip and Malcolm talking with a person. Malcolm glanced up, seeing them coming. He forced a smile, nudging Trip in the side with his elbow.

Trip turned, watching the policemen approach.

"Gentlemen," one said.

"Officers," Trip replied.

"Looking for someone?"

Trip smiled. "My brother. He ditched me for some broad, can you believe that? I'm looking for him so we can leave for home."

"You don't live in New Delta?"

"No."

"Where do you live?"

Trip swallowed. "Outside of the city. In the country. East."

"You live east of the city?"

"Yeah."

"In the ocean?"

"Yeah. No. I mean..I get all mixed up when I'm in the city."

"Your brother have a name?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know if your brother has a name?"

"Yeah. Of course he has a name. I don't know if he's using it."

"Why wouldn't he be using it? Unless she's a prostitute, there's no reason for him to not be using it. And if he's with a prostitute, all three of you are going to jail."

Trip and Malcolm looked at each other.

"Like a rabbit, Trip?" Malcolm asked.

"More like a cheetah. NOW!"

Trip and Malcolm took off running. They heard the policemen yell 'stop' but disobeyed the command.

"Something tells me laws here are a bit strict," Malcolm yelled.

"What gave you that idea?"

"All three of us in trouble for your brother buying a prostitute?"

Trip ran into an alley and slipped through a hole in the fence that divided it.

Malcolm slipped through after him, catching his shirt on the fence. He yanked his shirt free, tearing off a piece, and kept running

The two policemen stopped at the fence. One pulled out a clear tube with metal ends. He unstopped one end and pointed it at the material. It was sucked in the tube and he capped it. He pulled out his video pad and slid it into the space on the side of the video pad. The screen momentarily changed to bits and bytes before an image of Malcolm came up.

"Holy Saint Tarlik!"

The other policeman moved around to look at the screen. He stared at the face on the screen and the information on the person slowly began scrolling through a box to the left of it.

"Admiral Vignand," he whispered.

"Shoulda just shot the son of a bitch! Solve a lot of problems right there."

"Send it back to HQ. Get an APB put out on him."

#

Trip and Malcolm slipped behind a stack of wooden pallets just as two police cars zoomed past. Malcolm laid his head back against the wall.

"Maybe we should try another course of action, Trip?"

"Such as?"

"Anything. This isn't working. There are constables all over the city and you saw the television back there. After watching all those Hitler type speeches my double has been making, I have a feeling the next order of police business will be shoot on sight."

Trip looked down the alley. The sun was sinking low on the horizon, lighting the ocean beyond the alley. Trip turned and walked toward the end of the alley. Malcolm followed him, keeping an eye behind them as they walked. Trip came out on a sidewalk across from a marina and for a moment he was caught up in memories of time he spent deep sea diving in the Florida Keys on an ocean reclamation project when he was younger. Boats of all types bobbed on the sunset colored water, but his attention was drawn to the long sail boats fitted with outboard motors used for fishing or exploration.

"Damn if this place doesn't have a weird mix of technology," Trip commented out loud.

"I wouldn't mind putting this planet and all it's weirdness behind us quickly," Malcolm said.

Trip smiled at him. "Ah come on, Malcolm. You're not a little surprised?"

"KOLIN!"

Trip looked around as two arms enveloped him and drew him into a passionate kiss. Trip tried to pull away but the woman holding him had a death grip on him. She pulled her head back, smiling at him.

"Kolin," she said with a softer smile.

"I'm not Kolin," Trip protested.

She laughed, letting him go. "Of course you are! I think I would know my own husband. Why'd you shave your beard and change your clothes, Kolin?"

"I didn't. I'm not Kolin, lady," Trip repeated with more insistence.

"He's probably your evil twin, Trip," Malcolm muttered, "everyone else here seems to be."

The woman looked at Malcolm and her eyes grew large. She looked at Trip. "What are you doing with him? Are you crazy!?" she cried.

Trip looked at Malcolm and then the woman.

"What about me?" Malcolm asked.

"This bastard!" she hit Malcolm with her hat a couple times to emphasize her dislike of him.

Malcolm fended off the hat beating, trying to grab the woman's hat away from her to make her stop.

"This bohunk started this whole war!" she cried, "Kolin, what did you do? _What_ did you do!?" She looked back at Trip. "What on Xaritex have you done? You promised me you wouldn't pull any more government jobs after the last one! You _promised_ me." The woman started crying with a genuine hurt look that made the tears even more heart wrenching.

"Listen, lady, I'm sorry you don't like my friend here, but I am not Kolin! I'm not your husband. Hell! I'm no one's husband, lady!" Trip told her.

"But I am."

Trip spun around and froze, staring at his mirror image. The man looked Trip up and down, but said nothing.

"K-Kolin?" the woman asked them both.

"Amaly, I haven't taken any other government jobs. That was my last run. Just like I promised," the man, Kolin, told the woman. He reached out and affectionately rubbed her cheek.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him viciously. He smiled, hugging her back. She let go suddenly.

"Admiral Vignand is--"

"Shhh, Amaly." Kolin looked at Malcolm. "Tell me, Admiral, what's the low down on the Vargtique province?"

Malcolm looked at Trip and then Kolin. "The what?"

"The Vargtique province."

"I've not a clue," Malcolm said.

"What's today?"

"Here or--"

"Malcolm," Trip cut Malcolm off.

"Or?" Kolin asked.

Malcolm looked away. "Never mind. I know nothing about this place."

"This planet, you mean. Neither you fellas know nothing about this planet because you ain't from it."

Malcolm and Trip exchanged concerned looks.

Kolin reached up and smoothed Amaly's hair back. He placed a tender kiss her forehead, telling her, "Get supper started, angel. I'll be right there. Make enough for two more."

"Kolin, they--"

"Shhh." Kolin put his finger on her lips. He kissed her lips and then smiled. "Go, Amaly. We'll be in shortly, angel."

She hugged him one last time, shot a hateful glare at Malcolm and walked across the street toward the marina. Kolin watched her until she disappeared. He looked at Trip.

"Dames! They can make a man crazy, can't they?" Kolin joked," But life wouldn't be much fun without them, ya know?"

Trip smiled, nodding.

"You two don't look like aliens. You look like Parishal."

"What are Parishal?"

"Like me."

"We are like you."

"Yet you're alien cuz you're not from Xaritex."

Neither man replied.

"See," Kolin slid his hands into his pants pockets, "I have this device I traded with some aliens about a year ago. It can scan past the last planet in our system." Kolin looked up at the sky. "Certainly kept me out of some rough waters, what with being able to see ships and storms coming. Made me a nice little profit. A couple days ago it detected something big up there and started giving me readings. Once I figured out what they were, I was able to locate you two appearing out of the air. Watched you fellas go on the lam and end up here." Kolin looked at Trip. "Never saw your face though. Have to say that this is different."

"Very," Trip agreed. "Other aliens have visited this planet? Xaritex you called it?"

"Yeah. We call it Xaritex. And yeah, other's have. Didn't exactly run around telling people I've met aliens--not even Amaly knows I have--but I've met several. Right place, right time sort of thing."

"Does your government know about them?"

Kolin laughed. "If they did, us lowly workers would be the last to know. Our governments don't care about the people. They only care about themselves. A bunch of monarchs and nobles running the countries and they're only interested in scratch, more scratch, and the occasional whore." Kolin looked around. "Come on. Better get out of the street before the fuzz comes back around or someone spots you two and calls the fuzz."

"Fuzz?"

"Police."

Kolin turned and crossed the street.

"This could be bad. You don't know if you can trust him, Trip," Malcolm said.

"You're right. I don't. But while your standing out here waiting for the police to come pick you up, I'm going to be hiding on a boat until I can come up with a better plan, Malcolm." Trip trotted across the street.

"Oh bugger!" Malcolm growled, following.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Trip sat back in his chair with a sigh of contentment. He stretched before placing his hands on his full stomach.

"Mrs. Parker..that was delicious," Trip complimented.

She glanced at him with a warm smile. "The fact that you and my husband both love pan fried catfish is strange."

"Strange, but still delicious," Kolin said.

"I'm going up top for a swim." Amaly walked over Kolin and kissed him .

Kolin watched her leave before turning back to the men. He smiled, reached out and snapped his fingers in front of Malcolm, who had watched Amaly go above deck. Malcolm blinked, looking at him.

"Amaly has a fine chassis, doesn't she?" Kolin asked Malcolm.

"Chassis?"

"Body. Curves."

"She does," Malcolm smiled, "however I'm rather biased to my own wife's chassis."

"You're married?" Kolin asked.

"Yes."

"She with you up there?" Kolin picked up his glass of beer and motioned toward the sky before drinking some.

"Yes. Her and my twins."

"Amaly and I can't wait to have a couple curtain crawlers ourselves. How long have you two been married?"

"Eight months."

Kolin raised his glass of beer. "Congratulations, Malcolm. The first year is amazing. After that, they either get worse or even more amazing."

Malcolm laughed.

"And your's has.." Trip trailed off to let Kolin reply.

"Gotten more amazing. I'd still be running guns if it weren't for Amaly." Kolin looked at the door. "For two years she's kept me on somewhat of a straight and narrow."

Trip's communicator beeped and he froze. Kolin swallowed a drink of beer without commenting. The communicator beeped again. Kolin swallowed another drink, looking at Trip when it beeped a third time.

"You gonna answer that or just let it ring all night?" Kolin asked him.

Trip pulled his communicator out of his work shirt pocket and flipped it open. "Trip here," he said.

"Have you found anything?" T'Pol asked.

"Not..exactly." Trip glanced at Kolin.

"Explain, Commander."

"Mmmm," Kolin mused quietly, looking at Trip. "Commander?" he whispered.

"Commander," T'Pol said.

"The ladie's gabbin', Trip," Kolin teased, "and she sounds pretty insistent too."

"I ran into myself," Trip told T'Pol.

Kolin and Malcolm both chuckled.

"How did you _run into_ yourself?"

"I have a twin too. He's sitting right here. He knows about Enterprise and he found us when we transported down."

"Did you misunderstand that you were to make minimal contact with these people?"

"I am not a people," Kolin protested loud and angrily.

"You are. We are," Malcolm said.

"I'm a Parishal. People are Vignand's type."

Malcolm leaned forward. "What exactly does people mean?"

Kolin thought. "Feces."

"Oh," Malcolm sat back, looking at Trip. "That would make us not people."

Trip laughed.

"Commander, reply."

"She always such a bearcat?" Kolin asked.

Trip started to answer but Kolin yanked the communicator away from him.

Kolin held the communicator up to his mouth, leaning back in his chair, "Listen, sister, we have some things to gab about here. See, I know that Haeri Two Scars is dead because I know the supplier that gave the grieving widow the package that she used to blow the building, and consequently Haeri Two Scars, to pieces. So this fella they're saying is him, ain't him. And after running into myself, I know that there's some alien bushwa going on here. So let's talk shop and exchanging of goods, darlin'. That is assuming that you're in charge up there, sweetness."

"My name is T'Pol, not sister, darling nor sweetness," T'Pol stated in a flat voice.

"Testy, ain't she?" Kolin looked at Trip.

"She's my girlfriend," Trip whispered.

"My condolences, Commander Trip"

"Commander Tucker." Trip corrected him.

"Whatever. Okay, T'Pol, so here's the skinny on how this is going down. I'm coming up there with these two fellas and I'll bring the blueprints of the Haeri Two Scars pad. I'll also send out some of my men out to see what dirt they can dig up on these missing ladies your Commander told me about."

"And what do you desire in exchange?" T'Pol asked.

"We'll talk about it before you send me back. I trust myself." Kolin winked at Trip.

"I must know what you want to exchange before I can agree. There are certain items I am not permitted to exchange nor would I be willing to exchange. State your terms."

"Sister, your captain is currently in a really big house with a high voltage fence surrounding it with a dame that killed his twin and now thinks he's that very alive twin. You really think a dame that's off her nuts like that is going to buy into the whole aliens visiting us just to look around when one looks exactly like her recently deceased beloved?"

There was silence.

"We have a lock on your position. Prepare to transport."

"No. Wai--"

Kolin disappeared with Trip and Malcolm.

"Kolin, ca--" Amaly stopped at the bottom of the steps when she found the galley empty.

#

Kolin slowly unfolded to a standing position, staring at T'Pol, Sista and two security guards standing in front of them on in the _Diedra's_ transporter room. Trip snatched his communicator from Kolin's hand.

"This is T'Pol," Trip said, motioning to her.

Kolin smiled, extending his hand to T'Pol. When she didn't extend her hand he grabbed it and shook it anyway. He stopped suddenly, noticing her ears.

"You have pointed ears."

"All Vulcans do."

"Damn! You really are an alien."

"You amused by aliens?" Sista asked.

"Yeah."

"Perhaps we should introduce him to Doctor Phlox," Sista suggested, "or bats."

"Vardee, be nice," Malcolm said, walking up to her. He turned to Kolin, "My wife can be ornery."

"Mrs. Reed." Kolin held his hand out to her.

Sista extended her hand to be shaken. Instead Kolin covered it with both hands and lifted it to his lips, lightly kissing her fingers. He winked at her as he stood up straight.

"I had to get even with your husband," Kolin said and then let her hand go.

Sista glanced up at Malcolm. "I sure he deserve it."

"You don't speak Iola real swell, do ya?" Kolin asked her.

"I no speak Iola at all."

"You're speaking it now."

Sista smiled. "Ah. We call it English."

"English." Kolin smiled. "I like that name better, I think."

"Did you find any useful information while visiting with your twin, Commander Tucker?" T'Pol asked Trip.

"No. But you also transported us before Kolin could get the blue prints of the house. They were sitting on the table behind us."

"Those blue prints?" T'Pol motioned to the transporter pad.

Trip turned, seeing a set of blue prints on the pad. He looked at her. "How did..never mind."

Trip retrieved the blueprints and followed her and Malcolm.

#

Archer stared at the itinerary in his hand. He looked up at the faces watching him and then back down at the itinerary, his little voice repeating over and over that this was real and this itinerary was real. These men were expecting him to issue orders based on the list of murders, thefts, hustling, racketeering, pimping and other points of business on it the list.

"So what's the first order of business today, Boss?" Arlo asked.

Archer looked at the speaker. He had struggled yesterday to remember names more to keep himself from being confused than anything. He counted twelve men that lived in the house, but when he had left with them to get 'collections' from their 'clients' they had met nearly thirty more in a warehouse across town. Turned out the clients were businessmen, mostly, that paid the Haeri Two Scars mob money to ensure that in the event of a shootout in the neighborhood, they would avoid shooting up the place if possible, or grant the business owner a lump sum to repair any damages. A lump sum that was due at the end of two years in full and with twelve percent interest. And anyone who didn't pay it, they would repeatedly smash up the place.

"Well, uhm.." Archer looked down at the itinerary. 'Kill Sergeant Tariok is the first thing on this list?' Archer thought to himself. 'Isn't there anything on this list where someone won't die?' Archer continued out loud, "The, uhm..arms shipment is coming in tonight," Archer started, seeing it at the bottom of the list. "We should probably talk about that."

"It's a heavy sugar job, Boss. This score will have us sitting pretty for the next year, easy."

"Boss, you know..we've all been thinking.." Darik started, looking nervously at each of the men as he continued, "and to level wi'ch'ya, we all feel you've been acting a bit off since you were on the lam a few days back. Me and the boys've been talking and maybe, just this once, you should let Jisyca handle the deal." Archer looked up from the paper to Darik, watching the man's nervousness grow as he continued to speak. "I mean, Colburt ain't no easy man to deal with in the first place, but you go in there acting all balled up like you have been, and the deal's gonna go sour fast, Boss. I'm not trying to say you don't know how to do your job, Boss, 'cause we all know you know your onions, but maybe give this a few more days until you can sorta straighten things out up top and then we can be back in business and as usual."

Archer stared at Darik. The room had become tense with silence. Even Nathan looked worried. Archer looked down at the paper.

"Did Jisyca put you up to this Darik?" Archer asked.

"No, Boss. Honest. We boys have been talkin' about this and we really think this score you should let her and us hand it. It's to big to get futzed up by a little smack on the head, Boss."

"How big is this shipment?"

"Really big. You shook down Admiral Vignand to make him give you half of all the business he does in our territory and this is going to give us a nice lump of scratch cuz of that, Boss."

"Just how big of a lump?"

"Big enough to put us on easy street really nice for the next two or three years, Boss." Chainy, a sandy blond haired man to Archer's left, answered.

"Where are these arms coming from and who's the buyer? I can't seem to remember."

"They're coming from Province north. Military issue. We're selling them to Vignand's troops and he's offering top scratch for 'em. You set this whole thing up personally before you got that bump on the head scrambled your noggin'."

Archer was starting to formulate a plan. "Did I agree to meet with..who's Colburt?"

"The guy brining in the shipment."

"Did I agree to meet with him?"

"Yes."

"How long has this Colburt been supplying arms to or through us?"

"We've had a decent trade for about two years with him, Boss. First time we had Vignand as a buyer though."

"Sorry I can't remember any of this boys. Maybe you're right, Darik. I think Jisyca should handle this one. Remind me again, boys, who's the buyer? Vignand himself or a third party buyer."

"Vignand's sending his own personal buyer."

Archer red the information on the paper out loud, pretending to read the information in thought rather than confirm it. "Pier nineteen, the boat Acquilus."

"Yeah. That's right, Boss. So..who should go with her?"

"Who do you think?" Archer asked, looking at Darik.

"We can send Cevin and Arlo with her."

Archer looked at Cevin's young face. "Cevin shouldn't go. He doesn't have the experience."

"What a better way to get it, Boss."

Archer almost argued but the sound of someone clearing his or her throat stopped him. He looked back to find Jisyca standing in the doorway.

"I'll take Cevin, Haeri. He's my right hand man. Always has been, haven't you Cevin?"

Cevin looked nervously from her to Archer and back. Archer suspected there was more going on here, but right now he wasn't going to worry about it.

"Fine. Take 'im. I don't think he's gotta enough experience for this though, Jisyca. He's still new at it. He could ruin the whole deal."

"I can handle it, Boss. I'll protect Mrs. Swank," Cevin promised.

Archer forced a smile on his lips. He didn't want Cevin protecting Mrs. Swank. He wanted Cevin as far from this deal as he could get but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

"Fine. But send two more men. They can decide who's going to wait in the car and who's going in with Jisyca when they get there."

"Don't worry, baby. I won't let you down," Jisyca crooned, smiling her cold, emotionless smile.

Archer flashed her a reflecting smile that quickly erased her own. She turned and walked out of the room.

"What about the rest of today, Boss?" Cevin asked.

"I'm not feeling up to anything today." Archer looked at the men.

"We can carry out the rest of the itinerary," Darik offered.

"And make me miss all the fun? Not a chance." Archer stood. "Put everything on today's list on tomorrows. Nathan, we have matters to discuss don't we?"

"Yes, Boss," Nathan said, looking up at Archer.

Archer and Nathan left the room together, heading for the garden at the back of the house. They walked out to two benches and sat down. Archer turned so he could watch the door while they spoke.

"The communicator. _Please_ tell me you have it almost done."

"Almost, Boss, I mean, sir."

Archer smiled. "You're going to go around the ship calling me Boss when we get back, aren't you?"

Nathan smiled. "Most decidedly yes, sir. I think it may be a side effect of all this."

Archer laughed, looking at the house when the door opened. Darik was walking in their direction. Archer leaned back on the bench, stretching his arm across the top of the bench. He glanced at Nathan to make sure his crewman was acting natural too.

"Boss?" Darik asked.

"Yes?"

"We need to bump off Sergeant Tariok today, Boss. Informants say he's skipping town on an a.m. train tomorrow right after he testifies against you in court."

"Remind me again what he did."

"Ratted us out, Boss. Told the fuzz we were moving hop and the fuzz confiscated five kilograms of smoke."

"Why'd he rat on us?"

"We didn't pay him what he wanted."

Archer looked away, trying to think of a way out of this.

"Boss, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Darik asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, every time we've asked about killin' someone you look, well, a bit pale. Like you don't have the stomach for it anymore."

"Don't kill 'im. Just..remind him he doesn't want to cross me again. We may need him sometime in the future and he won't be much use dead."

"What if he talks, Boss?"

"Put the fear of Go..scare him a whole lot so he doesn't do it again, but don't kill him, got it, Darik?"

Darik's frown spoke of his disapproval with Archer's decision, but he replied, "Yeah, Boss," and walked away.

Archer let out a slow breath as soon as Darik was out of earshot.

"Of all the roles you've fallen into, I'd say you aren't handling this one very well, sir," Nathan commented.

"Oh thanks." Archer said.

"What I mean is you don't look like you have the stomach for filling this Haeri Two Scar guy's shoes, sir."

"I'm just filling them long enough for you to get that damned communicator fixed and get us out of here, Nathan. Hurry. I don't know how much more of this I can take. And after tonight, we really need to be out of here."

"Why? What are you going to do?"

"Just hurry, Nathan. I'm going to break my rule about interfering with alien cultures today."

Nathan got up and went back into the house. Archer slumped down on the bench, resting his head on the back of the bench. He looked up through the leaves of the trees above him, wondering where up there was his ship and crew. Archer closed his eyes, fighting back the wave of homesickness.

#

Hoshi watched Jacque bind her wrists to the arms of a chair. Jacque made sure the wire was tight and cutting into Hoshi's skin before walking away. Hoshi looked down when four bright lights was switched on around her.

"Hoshi, is it?" she heard a man ask.

Hoshi said nothing.

"Answer me," the man hissed, a hand coming out from behind the light and grabbing Hoshi's chin in a vice grip.

Hoshi clamped her jaw tighter.

The man's hand snapped away, his nails scratching Hoshi's chin.

"So you work for Haeri Two Scars. That could prove profitable."

"His name is _not_ Haeri Two Scars," Hoshi growled.

"So I've been told. Changed it to Jonathan Archer. At least he's getting original."

Hoshi looked down at her arms. She tried to flatten her wrists against the arms of the chair to keep the wire from cutting into her skin any further.

"Cuts hurt?" the man asked. "I could tend to them if you told me what I wanted to know, Hoshi."

Hoshi closed her eyes. She heard someone move behind the light and then a chair was sat down in front of her. There was a soft swish of cloth and then a moment of silence.

"Interesting piece of hardware. Is this standard for Tribual spies?"

Hoshi looked up. His appearance said the man sitting in front of her was Malcolm, but her friend Malcolm wouldn't do this to her. She guessed that, like Orela and Jacque, he was another twin on this planet. He was dressed in army-type fatigues and had a goatee that was neatly trimmed and combed. On his belt, resting against his right hip, was a holstered handgun, it's black matte metal reflecting the bright lights around them with a dull glow. He held up Hoshi's communicator.

The man leaned forward, meeting Hoshi's eyes when she looked up at him. "How did they find you? I've heard the saying everyone has a twin, but the chances of finding one that looks identical to Orela and speaks the same language is amazing. Perhaps there's more to the Tribual government than even their most trusted know?"

Hoshi didn't answer him.

Malcolm sat back, turning the communicator over. He looked up at Hoshi.

"Do you think if I activated it someone would be waiting for you?" A chilling smile began to creep across the man's lips

Hoshi looked down at the silver communicator in his hand.

"We did figure out how to activate the device so let's test my theory, shall we?" He flipped it open and Hoshi's heart leapt. Her hope fought horror that someone on _Enterprise _would try to communicate with her now that it was active again.

"Interesting device. How does it work, Hoshi?"

"You have someone that belongs to me," Trip's voice said across the communicator.

Malcolm's twin winked at Hoshi before replying.

"And you would be?" he asked Trip.

"Someone who wants his friend back," Trip snarled. "Who are you?"

"Oh. We went from someone who belongs to you to your friend. Which is it?" Malcolm's twin watched Hoshi closely.

"Both and neither," Trip came back.

The twin Malcolm stood, pulled his side arm from the holster on his hip, cocked it and shot past Hoshi. She let out a yelp, cringing at the loud explosion.

"That was a warning shot. The next one goes right between her eyes." He pressed the end of the gun barrel against Hoshi's forehead between her eyes. "So let's not be too stubborn about this, shall we?"

Hoshi closed her breath, having to mentally remind herself to breath instead of hold her breath.

Trip didn't reply right away. "What do you want?" Trip asked.

"Who are you?"

There was a pause. "Trip," Trip replied.

"Trip what?"

"That's not really important."

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

"No. But I bet you're gonna to tell me."

"Admiral Luc Vignand, and I am not a patient man. Would you like to hear something?"

Trip didn't reply.

Vignand held the communicator next to the gun barrel as he slowly cocked it until the hammer clicked. Vignand held the communicator back up to his mouth.

"What do you think the next sound will be, Trip?"

"My name is Charles Tucker. The woman you have is my friend and she works for me. We were at the parade together when everything went to hell and became separated."

"What kind of work do you do, Trip?"

"Trade."

"Trade? That's a risky business during a war."

"Very."

"So why were you and she and the other pretty thing I have with a mob boss that is supposed to dead?"

"We weren't with Haeri Two Scars," Trip answered.

"That isn't what my employee reported."

"We were watching the parade with everyone else."

"My patience is spent," Vignand looked down at Hoshi. "Bid Hoshi farewell."

"WAIT!" Trip yelled.

"For five seconds."

"What do you want?"

"I want to know why you were talking with a dead man, I want to know where this device we're talking on came from, and I want to know who you really are."

There was a long pause.

"Time's up!" Vignand said.

"He escaped the bombing," Trip lied, "I helped him escape the bombing. My employees and me were paid a lot to do it. I don't know by who. I have a communications genius that works with me. He invented the communicator. And I work for the highest bidder. My real name is Trip Tucker and I run a trade business."

Vignand smiled, but it was cold and heartless. "Well, Mr. Tucker, we have something for trade. I want the schematics on this communicator; you want your lovely ladies. Are you up for a trade?"

Trip hesitated. "Yes."

"Good. Meet us in the deli on Yardken. You will find someone who looks just like Hoshi and she will take the schematics."

"No deal."

"You're bartering with a gun to your employees head? How brass!"

"You will bring Hoshi and Elizabeth. If I don't see them in the deli when I walk in, I'll light up the deli."

"And kill you employees?"

"I have no love for either side, but if you think you're going to hang this over my head and that I'm going to trust you, think again. I have information on you, Admiral Vignand. And I've already faked one man's death and brought him back to life. I can make yours real."

Vignand smiled. "You have style, Kolin."

"Mr. Tucker to you," Trip growled.

"I can agree to your conditions, Mr. Tucker. The women will be there when you arrive. One o'clock. Don't be late." Vignand snapped the communicator close.

Hoshi leaned back when Vignand leaned close to her, meeting her terrified gaze. "You're employer pissed me off. If you pray, now would be the time to start saying penance." Vignand's smile was cold and heartless. "But I don't want you to think I'm completely unfeeling," He grabbed her chin and pressed his lips against Hoshi's.

Hoshi yanked her head away as soon as his grip relaxed, glare askance at him.

"Burn in hell," Hoshi hissed, "You're no match for him."

"We'll see," Vignand turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Jacque appeared and cut the wire. She grabbed Hoshi's arm and pulled her up, leading her out of the bright-lit area. Hoshi stumbled in her momentarily blindness, sensing she was being led into a room. She felt a handcuff snap around her wrist and then Jacque was gone. Hoshi closed her eyes tight to let them adjust to the low light she was in.

"What happened?" Hoshi heard Elizabeth ask.

Hoshi opened her eyes. She was in a room with no windows and a single high light bulb that shed very little light. Hoshi looked across the room finding Elizabeth sitting on a bed with her one wrist handcuffed to the headboard. Hoshi looked down at her wrist. She was handcuffed in the same manner.

"This General Vignand out there contacted Trip. Trip arranged a meeting. Us in exchange for schematics on the communicators."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "He's exchanging schematics?"

"Yes."

"I see. Well, at least I'll get to see my husband Malcolm."

Hoshi's brown furrowed. "What?"

Elizabeth shook her head, looking down. Hoshi suddenly realized why Elizabeth had said that. She was testing to see if she was herself or Orela.

"But Vardee would have a problem with that, don't you think?" Hoshi asked Elizabeth. She smiled, "I'm anxious to see Porthos. Do you think Navta ignored the captain and gave him cheese anyway? Doctor Phlox told him not to but he always does."

Elizabeth smiled at Hoshi. "It is you!"

Hoshi nodded.

The door was thrown open and Jacque came in with trays of food. Elizabeth and Hoshi watched her drop the trays on the chairs next to the beds.

"What is _that_ supposed to be?" Elizabeth asked.

"You're last meal. Enjoy," Jacque replied, walking back out of the room.

Hoshi and Elizabeth looked at each other.

"I can't wait to get a dish of French vanilla with fudge syrup," Elizabeth said.

"I second that choice." Hoshi looked down at the food.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Archer pulled a plate of leftover roast beef from the refrigerator and turned, running into Jisyca. Archer stepped around her and walked to the counter.

"What'ch'a doin' Haeri?" Jisyca asked.

"Making a sandwich."

Jisyca sidled up to him, reached across him and pulled a glass from the cupboard in front of him. Archer moved half a step sideways when she leaned forward and her breasts rubbed against his arm. Jisyca held the glass with both hands, watching Archer's face.

"A glass of iced tea, Haeri?"

"I can get it. Thanks."

Jisyca reached out and laid her hand on Archer's arm, sliding it down to his wrist. Archer turned his head, meeting her gaze.

"What do you want, Jisyca?" Archer demanded.

Jisyca sat the glass aside and slipped between the counter and Archer. She reached up and laid her hands on his shoulders, moving her body close to his. Archer stepped back and she followed, pulling even closer to him. Archer's instincts went on red alert. He was sure that she was after something, but he didn't know if it was a sexual something or if she was using her advances as a ploy for something else.

Jisyca slid her hands down Archer to his waist and began to worm her hands between his waistband and body. Archer grabbed her arms, pulled them away and retreated several steps. Jisyca pulled one arm behind her back with the opposite hand, watching him with a pouty look he was sure she was faking.

"You've had a long day, baby." Jisyca stepped back, resting the heels of her hands on the counter behind her. "I can finish this and bring it to you in the parlor.

"No thank you." Archer stepped around Jisyca to the counter to finish making his sandwich.

Jisyca reached back, picked up a sliver of roast and lifted it to Archer's lips. Archer looked at her without a word or attempting to take it from her. She shrugged her eyebrows and popped the meat in her mouth, seductively licking her fingers.

"Excuse me." Archer turned to leave.

Jisyca stepped in front of him, stepping close. Archer retreated right into the counter behind him and when he sidestepped, she followed like a good dance partner. Jisyca slid an arm around his neck, pulling herself up and her face close to his. Archer moved his head back, watching her face.

"What do you want, Jisyca?" Archer asked.

"If you're not hungry, maybe I could be your desert, baby." Jisyca traced his lips with a finger. "It's been a long time since we slept in the same bed, Haeri."

Archer grabbed her wrist when she tried to slide her hand down his pants. He moved away, turning to face her. She moved to get close to him and he pushed her away.

"What do you want, Jisyca?"

"You, baby. I want you."

"I don't want you."

Jisyca stepped back, looking angry.

"I'll be in the parlor." Archer said, backing away from her toward the door.

Jisyca shrugged her shoulder slightly. Archer retreated from the kitchen and walked to the parlor. He fell onto a couch, putting his hands over his face for a moment. This nightmare just kept getting worse by the moment. He hoped Nathan would get the communicator fixed before the deal went down tonight; otherwise they both may be dead in the morning. Archer's hands dropped from his face. He found himself longing to be back on _Enterprise_ and craving Chef's fried chicken. Then his thoughts turned to Brila's Black Forest cake drizzled with raspberry syrup that had plump, juicy raspberries in it. Brila always beamed with pride when Archer complimented her on the desert.

"Here, baby," Jisyca said.

Archer looked up. Jisyca was holding out a glass of tea and sandwich to him. Archer took them, watching her suspiciously. She sat down next to him, curling her legs up on the cushion and leaning against his arm. Archer stared at her, but she seemed oblivious as she watched the world outside the parlor windows.

"I think the shipment will go fine tonight, Haeri." Jisyca said.

Archer sat the glass down on the table in front of him and took a bite out of the sandwich. It tasted good, to his surprise.

"Don't you think so, baby?" Jisyca asked.

Archer continued eating without comment.

"Are you worried about it, Haeri?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"That cop turned on us because we refused to pay him more money, Jisyca," Archer continued to lie, hoping it would make her leave. "Who's to say there isn't another turncoat? Especially if they've caught wind of how big this shipment is."

"Who would do that?" Jisyca asked.

"Who wouldn't do that is what you should be asking."

"Of course I should. You always know best about these affairs, baby."

Archer looked askance at her. He was glad the situation chose him and not the other way around. He would have abandon this woman in a heartbeat if he could have.

"I'm going to go make an appearance downtown. If they see me, then they won't suspect anything."

"They?"

"The fuzz, sweetheart."

"Now I'm sweetheart?"

"Hardly," Archer accidentally muttered out loud. He stuffed the sandwich in his mouth so he'd have an excuse not to say anything else.

Jisyca reached out and began to run her hands through the hair on the back of Archer's head. Archer suddenly lost his appetite. He sat the sandwich aside as he rose to his feet.

"Aren't you going to finish your sandwich?"

"I'm not hungry. I have to take care of some things."

Jisyca caught his wrist and pulled on it until he gave in and sat back down. She reached across and picked up the glass of iced tea, handing it to him. Archer took it, looking her in the eyes. Jisyca leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"Let's not fight today, honey. Let's pretend like we're just married and spend the afternoon in our bedroom."

Archer put the glass to his lips when she leaned in for a kiss and drank the entire glass. Archer sat it down and stood. He took one step toward the door and the world around him started to spin. Archer lost his balance and fell back onto the couch.

"What have you done?" Archer demanded from Jisyca.

Jisyca leaned close to him. Archer felt her hand on his thigh and it ran up his body until it stopped on his throat.

I think I know who'd turn us in on this shipment tonight, baby," Jisyca leaned close to his ear, talking in a hushed voice, "but them boys are loyal to you and they wouldn't believe their Boss is a turncoat. But I promise you, Haeri, when I get done with you, they will never trust you again." Jisyca straddled Archer's lap, her eyes following the curves of his face. "There was a time I love you, Haeri." Jisyca looked into Archer's dilated eyes. "Now I just want you dead and gone. You aren't wrecking my home because you got weak, Haeri. So you just get yourself some sleep and let me hand this, baby. And when I come back, I'll handle you."

"You're psychotic, Jisyca," Archer muttered. His body was so heavy he couldn't hardly move his limbs or keep his eyes open.

Jisyca leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Archer closed his eyes, knowing he was helpless.

"Sweet dreams, Haeri," Jisyca whispered. She ran her fingers through his hair, "After tonight, we'll see who runs your gang." Jisyca kissed him again.

Archer fell asleep with her lips still pressed to his.

#

"Right here," Kolin said, pointing to the spot on the map on the situation monitor. "This is the deli."

Trip nodded, looking over the screen. He turned, looking at T'Pol, Malcolm, Kolin, Sista and Travis. Even T'Pol had a somewhat tense expression.

"Now, I don't know what kind of an angle you need, but you'd best set up people tonight. Before Vignand sends people down there." Kolin looked up at Trip. "This General is bad news, Trip, and he's not known for keeping his end of agreements."

"I figured that much."

"Maybe you use combadges," Sista suggested.

"I think I may agree to that," Trip said, "Especially if it will help us get everyone out of there before this General kills Hoshi or Elizabeth and gets the schematics."

Kolin leaned against the console. "I am still getting them, aren't I?"

"Yes," Trip answered with a nod, "and five working models. Just like we agreed."

Kolin nodded. He looked around the situation room with a long sigh. "This I never imagined in a million years."

Trip smiled at his identical twin. "_You_ I never imagined in a million years."

Kolin cast a sly look at Trip. "Just be thankful I'm easy to buy."

Trip laughed. "I am. Now, about Captain Archer."

Kolin leaned over the screen and touched the controls. Trip was impressed that the man had learned the controls so fast. He'd learned much about _Enterprise_ as if he had been trained or raised on the ship itself. Kolin stopped moving the screen and pointed to a block.

"Twenty-two oh three. Big marble mansion. Impressive and formidable and guarded like Fort Erel."

"Erel?"

"They hold all the treasury for Ristar. Gold, silver..someday I may break in there and retire for life if I make it out alive."

Trip smiled. Kolin's humor was very similar to his own, just shadier. He could find a good joke in just about anything.

"Work with Malcolm to figure out a good plan."

Kolin nodded once, turning his attention over to Malcolm.

"Sub-Commander," the ensign at the communications station called.

T'Pol turned to him. "Yes?"

"We're being hailed from the surface. The signal is Starfleet, but there is no locator signal associated with it. I don't know if it's a communicator or not. Should I reply?"

"Put it through." T'Pol replied, walking over to stand next to the captain's chair. "Identify yourself." She demanded as soon as the ensign nodded to her that the channel was open.

"Sub-Commander T'Pol, I'd hug your right now if I could. God it's great to hear your voice!" Nathan said with audible relief.

"What is your situation? Is Captain Archer with you?"

"The situation is stable, but not for long. And the captain's right here, but I need to speak to Doctor Phlox, Sub-Commander."

"For what purpose?"

"Captain Archer's been drugged and I have to wake him up before the psycho bitch from hell returns to finish him off."

"Stand by." T'Pol said, nodding to the ensign at the communications station.

#

The cold water took half a heartbeat to instigate a reaction from Archer. He gasped, coming out of the drug induced sleep to a sitting position. Archer looked around him, trying to get his bearings as the grogginess of the drug started to release him.

"Worked like a charm, Doctor Phlox. Thanks," Archer heard Nathan say. Nathan stepped into Archer's line of sight. "I'm sorry about that, sir. You were drugged and Doctor Phlox said splashing you with water might wake you. Everything else I tried wasn't working."

"Jisyca drugged me. Did Doctor.." Archer looked at the open communicator Nathan held out to him. "You fixed it?"

"Yes, sir. Sub-Commander T'Pol is standing by for you, sir."

"Is there anyone else here?" Archer looked up at Nathan.

"No. They all went with Jisyca I guess. I broke the door to get out."

Archer got up and walked over to a communicator console along the wall of the parlor.

"What are you doing, sir?" Nathan asked.

"Gotta make a phone call real fast before we head home, Nathan. Tell T'Pol to continue standing by."

Archer reached out and touched the screen. He selected to block his image and then placed a call.

"Shorefront Police. How may I direct your call?"

"This is an emergency," Archer said. "There is an arms shipment deal going at pier nineteen on the boat 'Acquilus.' Send officers there immediately and warn them that everyone is armed," Archer discontinued the call. He took the communicator from Nathan. "T'Pol?"

"Yes, Captain. Are you all right, sir?"

"I think so. Can you get a transporter lock on us?"

"NO. Your communicator is not transmitting a location signal."

"Sorry, sir. I tried," Nathan said.

Archer patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Do you have any way to locate us, T'Pol? We have to get out of here before they get back."

"We do have the location of the house you are in and have already prepared to retrieve you and Ensign Novakovich.

"You know where we're at?" Archer looked questionably at Nathan, thinking he had somehow figured it out and told them.

Nathan shrugged.

"Much has transpired aboard Enterprise and on the surface since we lost contact with you four days ago, Captain."

"Fill me in later. Get us out of here fast, T'Pol."

"You're stay on Xaritex has been an unpleasant one I assume."

"To say the least, worse than you can imagine."

"We will be there to retrieve you shortly. T'Pol out."

Archer flicked the communicator shut.

"Now we wait?" Nathan asked.

"Now we wait." Archer walked over to a chair and sat down.

#

Malcolm and T'Pol appeared behind a house. T'Pol flicked open her communicator.

"T'Pol to Archer."

There was a pause before Archer replied. "Archer here."

"We are about to disengage the electric fence. Stand by."

"Standing by," Archer said.

T'Pol and Malcolm walked around the house and across the street to a high iron fence. T'Pol looked up when headlights swung in her direction and watched a car speed up the drive and come to a screeching halt at the front steps. They could hear the door slam after the person got out.

"A car has just pulled into the drive, Captain."

"It's Jisyca and she's out for my blood. _HURRY_! Archer out."

T'Pol configured the tricorder and aimed it at fence. It beeped quietly twice and indicated that the electricity had been shut off.

"Come," T'Pol ordered Malcolm and the two scaled the fence, dropping onto the opposite side.

They crouched down behind some brush, watching the house. T'Pol opened her communicator again.

"T'Pol to Archer."

There was no reply.

"T'Pol to Archer."

Again she received no reply.

T'Pol watched the house while she tried to formulate a plan. A gunshot broke the silence.

"T'Pol, we have to go in now." Malcolm said to her, "Let's try one of the back doors."

T'Pol nodded once and the two started around the house.

#

Jisyca walked into the house as Archer stepped into the foyer. She aimed and shot at Archer. He leapt back into the parlor with Nathan. Archer turned, finding Jisyca in the door. Archer lifted his hands and kept himself between her and Nathan. The communicator in his hand beeped a couple times but he didn't take his eyes off Jisyca or attempt to open it to answer the hail.

"Jisyca, I can explain," Archer said.

"Do you think I'm a dumb Dora or something, Haeri?" Jisyca cocked the handgun. "You snitched and sold us out, _Haeri!_ I know you was the one that called the fuzz," Jisyca sneered at him, "You were _supposed_ to die in that explosion! It was all planned perfectly. But somehow you got out," Jisyca raised her arm, aiming the gun right between Archer's eyes, "but not this time, darling."

"I'm not your husband," Archer blurted.

"Yeah right!"

"I'M NOT!" Archer felt his heart pounding in his temples. "My name is Jonathan Archer. I'm not from here. This whole thing has been a case of mistaken identity. Everyone's been saying I've been acting strange. Think about it, Jisyca. For the last five days you've said several times how I didn't do something like I use to. Would your Haeri order his men not to kill a policeman? Would Haeri Two Scars just let people walk away like that? Would Haeri Two Scars turn in his own men and _wife_?"

"Yes."

"Don't you think it was odd that I didn't know our children's names?"

"You had a bump on the head."

"A little bruise and that's it. Not enough to keep me from remembering you or your children's names. I am not Haeri Two Scars, Jisyca! My name is Jonathan Archer."

A phase pistol blast hit Jisyca in the back and stunned her unconscious. Archer let out a sigh of relief when he saw T'Pol and Malcolm come out of the shadows.

"Did we come at a bad time, sir?" Malcolm asked, glancing down at the woman on the floor.

"On the contrary, your timing is impeccable, Malcolm."

T'Pol walked over to Archer and stood next to him. She flipped open her communicator.

"We have located the captain and Ensign Novakovich. Prepare to transport."

Archer looked down at Jisyca. He was glad it was the last he'd be seeing of her.

"We have problems back on Enterprise, sir," Malcolm said and then they were transported.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Trip secured his communicator in his breast pocket. Trip pulled on a coat, slid a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, stuck a wig of long hair on his head and pressed a hat down on top of the wig.

"Remember to put on those sunglasses, Kolin. Don't want this guy looking you up when this is all over, okay?"

"Will do, brother." Kolin smiled at Trip, giving him a solid clap on the shoulder. "Let's make General Vignand look stupid."

"Here goes nothin'," Trip said.

Trip turned and walked out of the alley toward the deli. He knew that he was being watched with rifles aimed at him and had to work to hide his nervousness. T'Pol was watching from hundreds of kilometers above them and had given him the position of every soldier in the area just minutes ago.

Trip entered the deli, ignoring the people sitting at the tables around him. Trip's jaw tensed when he spotted Malcolm's twin with Hoshi and Elizabeth. Sitting behind Hoshi was a twin of T'Pol and Hoshi.

"Move in, sir," Trip muttered, "They're in place."

#

In the alley Archer turned and motioned his people to move out. He and Kolin ran down the alley to a car. Kolin opened the back door and Archer stepped in, pulling a black Trilby hat down on his head. Kolin jumped in behind the wheel and slid on a pair of sunglasses and a black bowler cap.

"Do I look like this Haeri Two Scars guy, Kolin?" Archer asked.

Kolin smiled at Archer's reflection in the side mirror. "Spittin' image. Ready, Boss?"

"Hope so. Let's hope that all night cram session on Iola sticks or this may blow up in our faces."

"You'll do fine. It will all be copasetic, Boss."

Archer smiled his thanks. Kolin started the car and with a lurch, they drove down the alley toward the road.

#

Trip sat down across from Admiral Vignand.

"Did you bring them?" Admiral Vignand inquired.

Trip held up a rolled piece of paper. "Let the ladies go and it's yours."

"No. Schematics first."

"I don't trust you."

Vignand leaned back, sliding his arm around Hoshi's shoulders. She tried to shrug his arm off at first and then froze. Trip looked down, seeing Vignand had a pistol pressed into Hoshi's side.

"THIS ISN'T HALF!"

Everyone turned to look at the speaker. Archer was standing in the door of the deli. He wore a black pin stripe suit with the suit coat draped over his shoulders. He walked toward the table with slow, steady strides. Kolin followed him and took Archer's coat when he pulled it off his shoulders.

Archer sat down in a chair. "I am to get half of every deal that you do on my turf, Vignand. You make a deal on my turf and think it's going to go unnoticed? This is _my_ turf, Vignand, and I have eyes and ears _everywhere_."

"I was told you were dead, Haeri. And then you live. You'll have to tell me your secret."

"Tales of my recent death have been severely and perversely altered. You wanna know what I thinkin', Vignand?" Archer leaned forward on the table.

Vignand smiled, "No. Do tell Haeri"

"I think you were in on the idea to bump me off, Vignand."

"Why would I want to _bump off_ a business partner?"

"I dunno. Why don't you _enlighten_ me, Vignand?" Archer sat back. "'Cause, Vignand, I am positively certain Jisyca didn't come up with the idea on her own. That dame is a dumb Dora. She ain't gotta enough sense to close the door on a diving submersible."

"Half the profits of all business transactions on your turf was an unacceptable demand, Haeri."

"No one double crosses Haeri Two Scars," Archer stood, grabbing the schematics from Trip's hand. "No one. Pleasure doing business with you Mr. Tucker."

Archer turned to walk away. Vignand knocked his chair over as he sprang to his feet and aimed his gun at Archer. Jacque and Orela stood on either side of him, aiming their guns at Archer too. The deli burst to life with men throwing papers and coats back to reveal guns that they aimed at Vignand, Jacque and Orela. Trip rose to his feet, backing up a couple steps and pretending to be afraid. Archer pulled a cigar from his breast pocket and took the time to light it and fake a puff off it. He turned his head to look back at Vignand, blowing the smoke out as he did.

"Your soldiers are dead, Vignand. My men were waiting here long before yours got here. See, Trip here," Archer motioned to Trip with the hand holding the cigar, "now he knows how to make a good offer. He only wanted his women and he was willing to give me these schematics for them. Very reasonable demand, don't you think, Vignand?"

"There is a bomb under the table, Ca--, Haeri," Hoshi blurted, "It's going to go off in five minutes."

Archer looked at her and then back at Vignand, "Seems everyone's tryin' to bump me off. Enough to make some paranoid, ya know?"

"Give me the schematics, Harry!" Vignand ordered, "Or the women die."

Archer laughed, looking at the men around them with guns aimed at Vignand. Archer turned around so he could face Vignand.

"I don't think you fully understand the situation, know that? What you think you got on me here, Vignand?"

"The women."

"The women aren't my mols, Vignand. But I did make a deal, so here's what I'll promise to you for Mr. Tucker here. You shoot his women, and my men will kill you and both of yours." Archer motioned to the two women standing on either side of Vignand. "His die, yours die, you die." Archer faked another puff on his cigar. "On the other hand, Vignand, you and your mols lower your weapons, we walk away with Mr. Tucker's women, you and your mols live. What'll it be, Vignand?"

Luc slowly lowered his gun.

"A very sensible decision, Vignand. Very sensible." Archer turned to leave. He stopped and spun back around, adding, "Oh, and by the way, our deal is off Vignand. I catch you doing any business on my turf, I'll kill you personally. Ladies." Archer motioned to Elizabeth and Hoshi and then to Trip, "Let's be on our way before the place lights up."

The two scrambled to their feet and ran to Trip. Trip grabbed them both into a hug, slipping the combadges onto them.

Archer turned and started walking toward the door.

Hoshi turned to say something to Vignand as he aimed his gun at Archer's back and cocked it.

"CAPTAIN!" Hoshi screamed, moving into the line of fire as the gun went off.

Archer turned. The bullet hit Hoshi in the chest, the force of it sending knocking her backwards. Archer caught her before she fell, sinking to the floor with her. Trip pulled his phase pistol from under his coat and stunned Luc, Jacque and Orela.

"End holograph," Archer said.

The deli became vacant except for the seven of them.

"Hoshi? Archer said.

Hoshi looked up at him before she fell unconscious. Trip walked over to Archer, pulling his communicator out.

"T'Pol, transport immediately," Trip ordered, "Have a medical team standing by. There's a bomb in here. Locate it and transport it into space."

Archer picked Hoshi up, holding her to him.

"Hang on Hoshi," Archer said as the two disappeared.

#

"Hoshi," her mother called.

The sun was shining down through the fronds of the palm above, the pattern of sunlight changing when a light breeze stirred the palm fronds. She watched her eight-year-old hands carefully coloring a space ship that was as multicolored as feathers of a tropical bird. Hoshi looked up from her coloring when her mother called her again. Her mother stepped out of the house onto the deck, her bare feet padding across the weathered boards. She descended the three steps into the sand and walked over to where Hoshi was laying on her stomach on a blanket. Her mother sat down on the blanket beside her and sat a bowl of pineapple and melon cubes between them. She picked up a pineapple cube and Hoshi opened her mouth so her mother could pop it into her mouth. Hoshi turned back to her picture, munching on the sweet tart fruit in her mouth.

"What's this?" her mother asked, pointing at the picture.

"That ship they're building." Hoshi turned back to coloring her space ship. "The one that will go really fast. Daddy says it will go so fast that you wouldn't see it go by if you were watching for it."

"Sort of pointed, isn't it?" her mother laughed.

Hoshi laughed, feeling her mother's hand brush her brow.

"Hoshi," a voice said. The voice wasn't her mother's. It was a man's and she thought it sounded familiar.

"Ensign Sato."

Hoshi opened her eyes, looking up at Archer.

"Hey," Archer said, laying his hand on her arm.

"Are we back on Enterprise, sir?"

"Yes."

"Can we not visit that planet again?"

"Promise." Archer smiled, patting her arm. "Hoshi, thank you. You didn't have to take that bullet for me."

"I wanted some extra days off, sir," Hoshi joked.

Archer smiled, giving her arm a light squeeze. He leaned over and picked something up off the floor. He held up a bouquet of flowers for her to see and then sat them on a stool near the bio-bed.

"Trip's twin, Kolin, sent these before we left. He and his wife wished you well. You've made a proud captain again, Hoshi. Keep it up and you may go home a Lieutenant."

"Oh. In that case I'll have to get into some mischief, be more insubordinate, stuff like that, so I can stay an Ensign, sir."

Archer chuckled, "I'll be watching you like a hawk in that case. Get some rest, Hoshi. I'll check on you tomorrow, okay?"

Archer turned and left the Sickbay. Hoshi turned her head, staring at the bouquet of flowers. Hoshi drifted back to her memories, glad she was home on _Enterprise_ again.


End file.
